Zara Aleena killer Jordan McSweeney wins sentence appeal

The man who stalked, sexually assaulted and murdered Zara Aleena has won an appeal to reduce his sentence. 

Jordan McSweeney won a Court of Appeal challenge to have his minimum tariff of 38 years reduced to 33 years. 

In a Friday ruling, three judges found the sentencing judge had imposed too high an “uplift” to McSweeney’s minimum prison term. 

He admitted murder and sexual assault but refused to attend his sentencing hearing last December. 

He had targeted at least five women before he attacked Aleena, 35, as she walked home in east London on 26 June 2022. 

The attack lasted nine minutes and resulted in 46 separate injuries to the law student. 

McSweeney had been released from prison on licence nine days before the murder.